I'm a technology success story!!!

What a wild day!!!! The temperature had dropped, but it was totally bearable with the sun! Those who were able to come to the full-day INPERSON session for the Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 3 went home with their heads spinning from the amount of information I spewed at them! The intent was to give them a broad overview of the capabilities, but we need MORE than one day!! 

I was fired up and had fun!!! Thanks to Brampton Sew n Serge for hosting the event. I wonder if there are enough people with EPIC 3 around to host a Zoom club? I do NOT want to take away from a shop hosting events. 

The girls and the boy were home alone all day, but they managed just fine. I think it is the "parents" who worry about them, and that's only because there is usually one of us in the house at all times! 

They were pretty hopeful that I would take them with me in the morning. WAIT -- they were just waiting for their treat! 

MOM --- we're waiting for our T R E A T S

But there are those best buds again. They hang out together so much. Murphy is going to miss Bear when he goes home. WAIT -- isn't this his home now? Possession is 9/10ths of the law? Sadly, he will go home, but he's stuck with us for a few more weeks. 

Murphy and Bear

Here, he is perched in one of his favorite spots when we're in the kitchen. After I put him on the sofa, he bound up there to survey his kingdom!!!

Grandma -- I'm watching you!

And Lexi --- what a girl. I think she likes sleeping under the table because she can rub her back on the edge. She needs an itching post. 

MOM -- I need a scratching post

They were in fine form last night. Murphy and Lexi were "fighting," and Bear was the referee. I finally had to stop it because I couldn't focus on reading for the noise!!!! Interesting about dogs making noise. I recently heard someone who doesn't allow their dog to bark. How does the dog tell them when they need something? Murphy got stuck under the deck a couple of years ago. The ONLY way I knew that she was stuck and exactly where she was was because she barked! They alert us to people dropping off packages who don't ring the doorbell, they let me know when they want to come in the house (one woof is all they are allowed), and so much more. That's like telling a child to be quiet; we all hated that! Nope  - sometimes my girls are a bit too noisy, but I'd rather a bit of barking than they not be allowed to talk!

I wish they could coordinate their in and out schedules, though. It's like they have a conspiracy against me. 

Lexi: Hey, Murphy. You asked to go in, and I'll ask 2 minutes later. 

Murphy: OK -- and then tomorrow, we'll switch it up

Lexi: Sounds like a plan. It drives Mom CRAZY!!!!

Someone was not happy. Actually, she's eyeing Lexi. They are like cat and mouse or that cycling pursuit sport where they watch each other to see who will make the first move! 

MOM -- don't disturb me - I'm very focused

And Mr. Snuggles finally calmed down. What a little goof. 

I'm exhausted!!!

And all is calm at last. It's funny that they all get along but do NOT want to sleep next to each other. Oh no!!!

The three-dog night

In case you're wondering, the one-car thing is going very well at our house. I drive DH to the train when he needs to go downtown to work. He'll take an Uber back, which works out just fine. 

We have put on 2,600 KM (something like that ) since November 27, primarily driving errands around the neighborhood (well, he does groceries on Sundays and takes his mother shopping). And I've done a few couple-hour trips. We do NOT need two cars. No one has lost their freedom to go where they want when they want. I knew that! 

However, I've noticed something. There seems to be an issue with the gas gauge. It's NEVER close to empty when DH is in the car, but that gauge drops like a rock when I get in! Why is that?

Almost on empty!!

With my other car, the fuel light would go at 100KM. The light popped on at 38 KM. That's cutting it a bit close if you ask me. I'm sure there's a setting I can change because otherwise unless you remember to watch the gauge, you could easily run out of gas. So I must look for that setting and change it. Perhaps someone else will notice it. Maybe he thinks we bought an electric car? 

So last night, I was too tired to sew, yet too wound up to go to bed. So, I dug out my iPad. I'm always telling people how I use it to store all my manuals, and I do, but what a mess. I have a love/hate relationship with my iPad. Apple is so darn proprietary it could choke you! 

I was all excited when I started doing this years ago. I can put the PDFs into iBooks and see them on the shelf. I could sort them by topic, and that would be great!! Ah -- not so fast!! If the book is not an Apple product, you cannot sort them in iBooks. So I had amassed a HUGE pile of books, and I had to sort through them to find what I wanted. It's not an ideal situation. 

A mess of PDFs in iBooks

I had learned that I could put those PDFs into folders, but I also struggled with that. I had files all over the place that needed to be sorted, which was a mess. I had duplicates of most things, and I was tired of it. 

My NEW file system on the iPad

So, I decided to bite the bullet once and for all and would SOLVE this mess. This was AFTER 6 PM, which is not my prime learning time. 

Guess what? I figured it out!!! Yahooo!!!! It was probably the reason that I couldn't get to sleep last night. I still have about 40 documents to transfer to the filing system. Yep -- there were a lot. 

It's super easy if anyone wants to know how to do it. In iBooks (I think that is what it's called), you touch the three dots under a title, and a menu pops up. Touch "Share PDF."

Share PDF screen

That gives you choices, and you select "Save to Files." 

Save to Files

Then, it was "easy" to sort them into folders. OK -- that took me some time to figure that out. For all the talk from people about how intuitive Apple is -- it is NOT!!!! But that could be a lack of knowledge from the operator. Anyway -- all that doesn't matter because I figured it out. How? I didn't even have to Google; I PLAYED with the buttons, and I PLAYED more with the buttons, and I tried different things, and VOILA -- I figured it out. 

So now the big deal is to get ALL of my PDFs onto the iPad. Then, ALL my manuals and guides will be in one place, which would be amazing. I know some are on my computer, and probably my laptop and I might still keep some of those on those devices - just to have them handy, but I'll soon wean myself off that and use the iPad. At least I can say I'm using it then. It is probably the most underused iPad in the world. 

I also want to get my iPencil working. Yep -- I bought one of those and have rarely used it. I did search Google to find out how to charge it, and I am missing one small piece. I can charge it through the iPad, but a small connector allows me to charge it through a USB. I know I have that tiny part in the house somewhere, but where? 

My iPencil

Here's one more thing about Apple, and it involves the Apple store. I wanted to download a drawing program and play with it. And when I searched, I found one that I had to pay for -- OK -- maybe later, but right now I want a free one, and there were several. I downloaded the first one (a coloring book style), and the minute I went to open it, it asked for a subscription payment. AH --- you should have said that on the search page. I deleted it. 

This happened twice. HEY -- if you want me to pay, ask upfront; don't let me download, and then ask. I will ALWAYS delete those --- be honest!!!!!

Well, there is a success story with me and technology. OH -- I can get frustrated with technology when I can't figure it out, and that iPad was a pain! Almost to the point where I'd just go to the website to find the manual and use that through the iPad rather than store it on the iPad. Well, I no longer have to do that!!! 

And all it took was a bit of finagling and a will to learn how to make the product work as I wanted. It's not that I don't understand technology; I want it to work in a certain way. I'm not an early adopter, but I push this stuff to the limit and try to make it do things MY way, not the way the company wants. I will NEVER buy an Apple book to use and sort it in the iBooks app. NEVER. 

OH -- I should mention that when you open the file folder system and click on a book? You can open it in iBooks to read it like a book (swiping pages). That's exactly what I wanted, but there is NOWHERE that tells you how to do that. I need to start my own YouTube channel on solving problems that NO ONE else seems to have the answer for!!!!

On that note, I'm out of here. It's minus 4 right now, but by the time I finish the walk, it's supposed to be PLUS 4. What weird weather!!!!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Highway of memories!

Yesterday was a long day but also a very exciting day. Not only am I totally relaxed now because I have SEVEN FREE days next week, but just because! There is no point in being frazzled unless there is a very good reason. 

I had prepped most everything the evening before, so all I had to do was write the blog and take the girls for a short walk, which was better than no walk. Then, I was in the car for a long drive. 

I'm not the best with long drives, but I made out OK. I should know better, but I stopped for gas at one of the Service Ontario spots along the highway and paid $1.57 per liter. Shortly after, I got into the smaller areas and spotted gas for $1.45. Sigh.

However, it's not such a big deal if you do the math. My car takes 45 liters of gas, so even if the car was totally empty, which it was not, I would have paid a difference of 12 cents per liter, which equals $5.40. Hardly anything to get upset about. 

I chuckle when they announce that the gas prices are going up by 3 cents at midnight, and everyone flocks to the gas pumps. Again - if my car was completely empty, I would save $1.35. It's hardly worth the effort to go out. However, if my vehicle used 100 liters, that might be a different story, but it depends on how empty the tank is. 

I stopped at Thimbles and Things to say HI to Paula. Sue happened to be there teaching a class, so it was also fun to say hi to her. Since the Fireside Retreat closed, I don't get up there that often. Then, three ladies from the Tequila Lime class stopped in to buy their fabric, so we had a grand chat. It was so lovely to meet them in person. I can't wait to see what they bought! 

And, well, I did a bit of retail therapy shopping myself. I bought a few more fabrics (batiks) for my Tequila Lime, so I have a nice variety now that will help with the gradations I expect to use throughout the quilt. I bought a half meter of a funky print for some journal making (more on that in January) and two patterns. YES -- I didn't need either of the patterns, but they are super cute!

Sorry -- it all got winged into the car, and I didn't take pictures of any of it. Interestingly enough, Sue asked if I was still teaching tuffets! I had to laugh because we just finished one last week for someone who purchased one of my kits. I am DONE with tuffet making! 

I arrived a bit before the store opened, so I pulled into a parking lot and had a 15-minute snooze. Yep -- I can do that, and I felt great the remainder of the way.

The roads were excellent, with no construction or very little. It was a bit like an old home week as I drove past the house where Fireside Retreat used to be. Nothing much has changed - I noticed a nice table on the back deck and a hammock! Oh - that would be nice. All the barn quilt block signs are still up. Such fond memories of that location. 

The house that used to be Fireside Retreat

Then, past Bracebridge, where there used to be a quilt shop (bought and sold several times). This was when we went to the Quilter's MisBehaven retreat near Raymond, Ontario. There's the highway exit to get to that house. I didn't drive by as it's a bit off the road. Don't Google that one -- it's been closed for YEARS. I think it opened in 2006 or something like that, and it existed for 10 years? 

AH -- there's the exit to get to the Seams Appropriate quilt retreat (still in operation), which is just on the other side of the highway. I no longer book that one as two retreat houses are much closer to me and those who attend. 

Then, past Huntsville, where there used to be a quilt store and a fantastic drug store with the largest selection of quilting magazines. Sadly, that is long gone. So many memories along that section of the road. 

Once I was past Huntsville, it was "new" territory. Ah -- but there's the exit to where Maryke lives, and then, there's Morgan's' exit. They chat about them during our Virtual Retreats, and well,  I felt right at home along that stretch of the highway. 

Then I arrived in North Bay, and it was easy to find the Gem Sewing shop. They have a BEAUTIFUL classroom area. OH -- I did a bit of damage at that store as well! I found some things that I had been trying to find, which was exciting. I bought a new fabric mat for my digital cutter because I will need one based on what I plan to do with it in 2024. The best part was that it went in the car, and there was no need to worry bout shipping it. 

I spotted this in the washroom at Thimbles and Things. 

Spare time activities for a quilter

I thought it was cute, and honestly, I don't have much spare time, but I do this with fabric regularly! But it was nice to buy - just for the sake of buying. I have not done that in a long time. But the things I bought were mostly things that I wanted and couldn't find elsewhere. I'll take pictures and share them!

As you know, I'm a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants person who never pre-books hotels. I've been caught once or twice, but not yesterday. When the first event finished, and I could get away, it was already 4:30. I popped out to the hotel (YES - I know I could book online - hate it!), and they had a "couple" of rooms left. What does that mean? 

Anyway, I got a room, and I was good for the night and ready to return to the store for the second event. OH -- we had been talking about senior discounts the other day. Someone mentioned that you need to be careful because sometimes the senior's discount works out to MORE than the real price. Wait a minute -- there is NO REAL PRICE any longer. The price is different if you book online versus in person versus having discounts through CAA or Senior or whatever. It is one of the most confusing things around. 

What I am very cautious of is booking online. The hotel has NOTHING to do with that, so if you need to make changes or need information or even the bill -- the booking company provides that. I HATE that, so I refuse to book with those booking agencies! I prefer to book in person! I take my chances, and I've been caught a few times where I had to go to several hotels, but I've always found a room. The worst case is that I have to sleep in the car, which has never happened. 

This is the wall when you exit the elevator on my floor. It's an appropriate color, I would say. 

Outside the elevators on my floor

And yes -- as I arrived at my room, which was completely at the end of the long hallway, I discovered my room key wouldn't work. OK -- there has to be something wrong with me. So I trundled all my stuff back downstairs to get the key redone. Back up to the room, and CRAP -- it won't work again. AH -- I turned the key around, and it worked, so it probably worked the first time. 

My room is the LAST one

I am so NOT good at this. What is wrong with me? I looked at the key, and the logical way to put it in was NOT the way it worked! My brain must be wired differently. But I need to try the other way if the first one doesn't work. No worries - I needed extra steps because I did NOT walk far. 

My technology setup worked like a charm. I now have the hang of it and can easily switch between the camera and the presentation. But that requires a few cables to make that happen. 

My cable collection

Some of those are power cords, some are HDMI cables, and when I set up, I think one was missing. Where the heck did I put that, or maybe it's all mixed up. I need to sort it out because I will need that third cable tomorrow. And Margaret's advice is to put my name on all of them, which is excellent advice because it's easy to get things mixed up!

At the evening presentation, I met Morgan, whom I've known virtually for several years. It's hilarious when you finally meet in person because you feel like you know that person! Thanks for helping me get all my stuff to the car!

I woke up this morning and peeked out the window, and I swear I saw snow! Nope -- just heavy frost on the vehicles!

Today is a travel day, but it is relatively short, which is good, so I plan on getting set up at the new location and going for a long walk. Then I have some computer work, so it's all good. 

One more day of presentations tomorrow and then the long drive back! 

On that note - I'm out of here. I usually eat breakfast while blogging, but I guess I could have gotten dressed and gone downstairs and blogged at the breakfast table, but I didn't. I'm in casual mode today!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!!

Boundless energy

Multitasking - good or bad? 

By the way - I fixed the link in yesterday's post. Good grief -- I attached a link but hadn't actually copied it from the web page, so it just pasted in the previous link I had copied, which was classes from a store. Sigh!!!

Someone here was talking about coaching for a job interview, and it was highly recommended to NOT mention that you can multitask! I agree -- we get buzzing around and don't do any job as well as we could if we focused on one and then moved to the other. WAIT -- let me clarify that. If I have to wait for an embroidery to stitch out, then yes - I'll do another task, like cutting fabric. But be careful because you can easily make mistakes if you move from one to the other. And I get zipping around so fast that I forget things! Not because I'm forgetful or getting dementia, but because my brain cannot process the steps as quickly as I'm doing them! 

And your brain needs a rest. Seriously -- even though I can do multiple things at the same time, I often intentionally do not. I just don't need the "hassle."

For someone who has many technology woes, I sure get myself into the mix with little hesitation. When doing a Zoom presentation, it's easy for me to use Zoom to switch from one source to another. Live camera or my presentation. Well, it can be challenging, but it works. 

But how to do it live? I purchased a small switch box (thanks, Margaret, for the recommendation). I had a larger one when we first started to do Zoom. It was too complicated to figure out, so I gave it away. Now I have this little box, and with THREE HDMI to HDMI cables, I can hook it to the TV in the room, then add the computer and the camera. It works pretty seamlessly. I have one minor glitch to figure out, but I was in the middle of the presentation, and it was NOT the time to figure that out. However, I MADE it work!

I'll practice when I get home. My camera needs power, so it is powered off the sewing machine (DESIGNER EPIC3) with a USB port. Oh yes --- it's quite the production to get everything set up. But yesterday was the first day I did that, and it was amazing!!! 

My camera setup

You can see the camera in front of the EPIC3 and how it appears on the TV screen behind! YES!!!

Now, I just need to use a pen to touch the screen. I used my fingers yesterday, and they look HUGE on the screen! So I can make the technology world function for me! I will NEVER let technology defeat me. 

Look how cool the room looked!!! Thanks to K&A for hosting the event! Assistant Manager Maureen made everyone feel welcome, and we had fun! At the end of one of the presentations, one of the participants said that I was an excellent presenter and that my enthusiasm and passion showed. WOW -- that was so sweet of her. I agree -- I'm doing what I love, and I LOVE doing it. I feed off the energy in the room - it just bursts from me, and I hope I never lose that. 

Ready to present!

And look at the cookies they had! Oh my -- I haven't eaten mine yet -- there was ZERO time for that. 

EPIC 3 cookies

After I got back to the retreat house, we had dinner. The group was so amazing as they waited for me. Thanks, guys!! I appreciate your thoughtfulness!!!

I don't think I did much last night, but we sat around and talked. I noticed these two tables. Hmmm -- just a wee bit busy? 

Busy beavers at these tables

No names will be mentioned, of course. What happens at the retreat - well, you might get to see it, but it stays anonymous! OK -- I dare not show my workstations! 

I was the last one to bed last night and the first one up! Yikes! I have way too much energy, but that's OK. 

This is the sewing room here at Spring House Retreat. It's the BEST sewing space of any retreat house I've been to. I almost do NOT want to mention their name. They are booked solid, and I want to be able to return. That just means we book VERY early. The lights have been changed slightly, and OH MY -- the change is significant. We have ample light at all the tables. Yeah!!!!!! Thank you to Spring House Retreat for listening and making those changes.

The left side of the sewing room

The right side of the sewing room

I'm working on my UFO - a quilt that has sat for years, and it'll probably take me a couple of hours to finish off the top. Seriously??? Good grief -- how many more do I have like that? 

It's good that no one else was up when I worked on this quilt. Not only have I commandeered two sewing tables, I completely took over one cutting table, and there were two empty tables on the other side, and I also had one of those in use. Oops! Everything is cleared off that table, but I still have the cutting table filled with my quilt! 

I will be out for a walk this morning as I didn't get out for a walk yesterday. I need to walk! Just to clear my head and possibly calm down? Well, not calm down in a bad way - just get back into my routine! I have to laugh because I make good progress on my walking challenge, and then I slip a day, and it sets me back. It's like trying to get to the edge of the pool. Just as I reach to grab the edge, it moves! But I'll make it happen! I still have 35 days in which to get back on track!

Oh my -- so many samples to make and so little time. And then what about all the embroidery I want to make for me. Well, that would be more samples! I'm not going to work on samples for the next two days. I need to step back and just do whatever I want. I think I might need a wee nap this afternoon.

On that note, I'm out of here!

Have a super day!!!!!

The "shopping" spree

 Wow -- it's Day Two of the retreat, but I've barely done anything!

It was the first day of my events introducing the new products for Husqvarna Viking. The biggest one is the Designer EPIC 3. I need to tweak the presentation a wee bit as I went over by 20 minutes! But -- there were a lot of questions, and I'm OK with that!

The weather looked horrible in the morning, but the temperature was amazing, and I went for a 1 1/2 walk! That isn't going to happen today! It was warm, and I was ready to remove my bright orange jacket, but it is hunting season, so that orange jacket stayed on! I did not hear a single shot, so hopefully, the deer were hiding. 

I made a quick trip home to drop off the stuff I had already finished with and to "shop" in Studio B to pick up the stuff I missed, like the power cord. And there it was, sitting on the table - unplugged, but I had gotten no further than that. I also got glue, tape, paper, scissors, and many other things that I could use to finish the Sweet Tea and Green Beans quilt!

I also stopped at Tim's, which took forever, putting me behind! 

However, I arrived at Hamilton Sewing and got set up! We had a great session introducing the features of the new sewing and embroidery machine! 

Back at the house, we sat around and chatted until late, and then I got up this morning and repacked my suitcase because it was a mess after the event. I'm at K&A in Ingersol today with two more events to introduce the DESIGNER EPIC 3 and other new things! 

I'm trying to work on a sample this morning, but I'm not making much progress! I have two more seams to sew, and then I'll be ready. 

I have to confess that I'm a table hog! The arrival time of some of the retreat quilters is staggered, and I'm taking full advantage of that! I've commandeered TWO tables to lay out all my stuff, and I'm OK with that! 

I'm working on my UFO as well, and that requires some trimming of a braid. I'll take a picture later. This project has been in the cupboard forever, and I hope to finish it this week! 

I had to laugh as I was chatting to someone this morning, and I glanced at the table in front of me. WAIT A MINUTE!!! How many pairs of scissors does one person need? I shall not name them to protect their innocence! But that's a lot of scissors and a pair of snips on the sewing machine!

A scissor for every job!

Sorry -- this will be short and only one picture because it was a crazy day! When I was home to pick up stuff, I felt like I was on one of those timed shopping shows. I had a list, ran around with a bag in my hand, collected all the stuff, sent an email to a group distribution list, and then threw it all in the car and was gone in 10 minutes! Of course, Murphy was trying to help, which wasn't helpful since I had to walk around her numerous times. 

Here's an interesting article on using vintage sheets in quilting. It looks pretty interesting and might be a fun thing to do. But I don't have any of those kinds of sheets, and I haven't looked at the thrift shop. Hmm -- something else to put on my mental thrift shop search!

On that note, I'm out of here!

Have a super day!!

Ciao!!!

How to shop for fabric!

It feels like I'm on a treadmill, and it's speeding up with no chance of getting off! But there's no need to panic - everything is fine. Just a tad busy. This is temporary, as December will be pretty much dead. DO NOT LAUGH! How do people do this all the time? 

The second day of training went well, and I think everyone walked out of the room filled with excitement, a bit of trepidation to remember it all, and so much work ahead of them to make samples!

I had all these plans when I got home that I'd turn on the machines and start making more samples, and well, I was tired! So, I made some samples this morning. 

But back to yesterday. I went for a walk in the morning. It was like a spring day -- warm but cloudy and windy. The perfect day for a walk. Nothing was too exciting to see in that neighborhood, but I grabbed a couple of geocaches. This first one was easy to spot - there's a small container right by the black post. 

Easy to spot geocache

I can imagine in the summer, with all the leaves on the trees, that this would NOT be so easy to spot. There are advantages to doing some geocaching in the fall!

The area around the geocache

OK -- so what do you think these are? Art? Bike racks? Benches without a place to sit? I've no idea, and they were on a street corner, so not exactly a place to park a bike!

Art?

And this guy was at our hotel. I'm not into selfies, but he was about my height. 

That's a BIG duck!

While I was out walking, I passed two Tim's. I didn't bother to stop, even though I was getting hungry as I had looked, and Tim's was very close to the hotel. However, when I arrived, it was one of those in the gas station, so there was no place to sit down. CRAP! 

I decided to go to the hotel to see what they had for breakfast options. No buffet, no complimentary breakfast. You ordered from an order desk, and they brought the food to you. Hmm! Not what I wanted, but I had no choice. 

I ordered steel-cut oats, which cost $10 plus tax. It better be good because I can buy TWO containers of steel-cut oats for $10. 

The bowl was HUGE. It came with a few blueberries and a small jug of maple syrup. Yes --- it was excellent, and I wasn't grumbling about the $10. If the food is good, I'm OK with the price (most times), but if the food is crappy, then I'm not so happy. This was great!

My morning oatmeal

I wasn't needed for the first part of the meeting, and I needed some fabric. Northcott wasn't too far away, and I still have an account with them. So off I went. I spoke to the warehouse manager when I got there, and before I knew it, a few people came to the back to say HI. It's like they put it on a loudspeaker in the front -- Elaine has returned! I haven't been back since my services were no longer required in 2017! I don't even remember if that is the correct year. 

I was looking at the sale fabric, and I heard that if I buy 25 bolts, I can get it even cheaper. NEVER say that to a quilter. So I looked around, and I evaluated the car space, and I calculated the budget, and well, this happened. 

Oops -- so much for sticking to the budget

I was curious to see if everything would fit in the car on the way home. But I'm good! This was the back of the car. My sample suitcase is on top of the embroidery unit for the Designer EPIC 3. NO -- I could NOT see out the window, but I'm OK with that. 

The back of the car

The side behind the driver's seat was jammed with bolts of fabric and thread. 

Behind the driver's seat

The other side was also jammed with more bolts and the Designer EPIC 3. Notice that it was protected with the cover AND a quilt. You do NOT want to damage or scratch that screen. Thank goodness I did NOT take the box!

The other side of the car

And the front seat was also full! I don't need a bigger car -- I can fit a lot into this one. 

The front seat

Knowing that there are MANY quilts to be quilted for Quilts of Valour, I picked up 11 bolts to help with the backings. I had better get myself organized and get some of those quilts done! That's a job for December and January. 

Bolts for Quilts of Valour quilt backings

And then, I got a few bolts that were not on sale, but I needed some neutral backgrounds to stitch embroidery on. 

Stock up on neutrals

And then, I got a variety of blenders, also to be used for embroidery backgrounds. 

My new blender cache

So that was a great haul! My credit card went OUCH when I checked out, but we had a talk on the way back to the meeting! It's OK! 

I must say that it felt good to be back in the warehouse! But would I still want to be working there? I don't think so. I much prefer what I'm doing now, and there are WAY MORE toys to play with! Yep -- I'm in my happy place. 

I went back to the meeting, and I helped out with the rest of the morning session and then the afternoon. OH MY -- there is so much new on this embroidery/sewing machine. My mind was blown about one hour into the first day! And now I have to pack all that into three hours! Even if you are NOT in the market for a new embroidery machine, why not attend one of the events -- we are going to have FUN!

Hamilton Sewing, Hamilton, Ontario - November 9 - Thursday

K&A Sewing Studio, Ingersol, Ontario - November 10 - Friday

Gem Sewing - North Bay, Ontario - November 15 - Wednesday

Gem Sewing - Sudbury, Ontario (part of a retreat) - November 17 - Friday

Brampton Sew and Serge, Brampton, Ontario- November 24 - Friday (905) 874-1564

Carellen Sewing, Winnipeg, Manitoba - November 27

I couldn't sleep last night. Of course - I'm tired, but I can't sleep. So, I got up and started sorting and prepping all the samples for this morning. That takes oodles of time -- do I have fabric, stabilizer, bobbin threads, top threads? What about the design? Is that ready? Lots of things to get organized. But when I went to sleep on the couch with Lexi, everything was done. 

This morning, I had one embroidery machine working while I stitched on another, and wouldn't you know it --- BOTH machines had issues simultaneously! Of course, they did, because I was in a hurry!

However, I got both fixed and back working and completed almost everything I wanted to get done. The rest will be used for demos! I know -- how clever is that? 

Everything is now back at the front door -- the sample suitcase is rejigged. The machine is by the door, along with the bags of projects and supplies and several bags of technology. WAIT -- do not forget to pack a few clothes. That's always the last bag and the least important! As long as I have something on, I don't really care, but I do want to clean up a bit for the presentations. 

M and Bear made it home safely, and Dillon picked them up. Nothing is sweeter than seeing such a big, happy smile on your kid's face. OK -- Dillon brought flowers - I'd smile as well! And Little Bear was on the floor --- dancing around like a madman! So cute!

On that note, I'm out of here. I'm off to a seven-day quilt retreat. I know -- don't ask. It's going to be weird as I'll be working, and well -- it's just going to be weird. 

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Trifecta!!!

Oh my --- I had a busy day, but I don't have much to show! But I tried, and what doesn't get completely finished, at least, is a sample. The finishing will come later! I trust the people looking at the samples aren't going for finesse -- we're going for the inspiration and the ideas! Plus, I have some finished samples. 

But the day started with the two Zoom classes, which went great! I am passionate about teaching, and well, I'm just darn good at it! No one toots their own horn often enough, but I'll say that I'm a pretty good teacher. I'm not a patient person, but when I'm teaching, I am. It's weird how that happens. 

And teaching on Zoom means the students walk away with so much more than they would in person. Video recordings, copies of slides, and so much more! I was up late last night sending out all the follow-up information, and I have one more class to send off stuff this morning. 

Then I'm all caught up until next weekend! 

I'm whittling down the list of classes and clubs being offered next year. I'm combining two of them into one and eliminating another. I'm compiling a list of what I'll be doing next year. I'll give you one hint. There will be NO PROJECTS - i.e., quilts I'll teach personally. I'll continue what's on the schedule, but after that, NO NEW PROJECTS, unless it's with a shop. That eliminates another two classes, and there will be no Jen Kindwell remedial, so there goes one more. 

The trick will be to NOT replace any of those with anything. I need the time to work on samples and to have days off when I can do something other than sewing! An entire day! So I'm making progress at this "downsizing" my time thing!

So here's part of what happened at my house. And please remember that these are not my machines -- it's a perk of the job I spend copious amounts of time doing. There has to be some reward somewhere. 

OK -- the first one is my machine. 

Let's fire up machine number one. 

The Husqvarna Viking Designer EPIC 2

Anyway -- this machine spent most of the day embroidering ONE thing. And it's stunning. I won't show you yet, but I must spend more time embroidering. I love the results. 

Part of what I was working on was an experiment that went well but not as well as I expected. There are two things that I learned. And here's something to think about for next year. I plan on hosting a class that is focused 100% on marrying our technology together -- digital cutters, sewing machines, embroidery machines, and embroidery software. Watch for more details on that, but it's going to be super exciting and will blow your socks off with what we're going to do! You do NOT need an embroidery machine to participate!

Anyway, thank goodness I checked that I had an extra spool of thread because I emptied the first one! 

One spool of thread bites the dust

Then, it was onto machine number two. Oh my -- -what a beauty!!!! Yes -- I am spoiled, but I work hard!

Husqvarna Viking DESIGNER EPIC 3

It was also set up to do embroidery. Again -- another experiment. Actually, two of them -- and they both worked out beautifully. All new stuff!!!

Using the free arm embroidery hoop!

And then, for the trifecta, let's get the third machine going. 

The PFAFF creative icon 2

It was also set up to do embroidery and, again -- another experiment. I'm happy to say that this also worked quite well. It was really a test of the Embellishment Attachment, and now I can do the real thing. OH -- wait until you see -- it's adorable!!!

Using the Embellishment attachment

Let's just say that the areas around those machines were a mess of tools, scraps of fabric, or thread. Studio B is a bit scary right now! 

Messy area!!!

This was an accident waiting to happen -- presser feet mixed in with the scraps, so I cleaned that up before I threw anything valuable away. 

Another mess

And to top it off, I had the digital cutter working. 

Using the digital cutter to cut fabric

Again -- another experiment. It seems that everything I do is trying new things. Imagine if I were the timid type! I wouldn't survive long in this job with new stuff, ideas, and supplies coming out all the time. 

Speaking of finishing things - I need to get better. I have a couple of small samples that I thought would look great on a presentation board. This is a 9 by 12" artist's canvas. I attempted to use tape to secure the back, but that looked back. So, I tried spray glue. The glue has dried somewhat, so it doesn't look nearly as bad!

Using spray glue to mount the sample

Those are NOT perfectly entered corners. They make it look so easy on a video. I will cover the back with another fabric and fuse it in place, but for the moment, this will work. The sample is stinking cute, and I'll share it later. I don't want to steal any thunder from my presentations. 

But I managed to get glue on my fingers, and then I was working with something fuzzy, and I had fuzz all over my hands!!!

Sticky!

Again -- if anyone wants to check out a presentation by myself on the NEW Husqvarna Viking DESIGNER EPIC 3, I'll be at Hamilton Sewing on Thursday and K& A Quilt Shop on Friday. Check out the links to get signed up. Some of the sessions are already sold out. 

I'll be in North Bay and Sudbury later this month - Gem Sewing, North Bay on November 15th, and Sudbury on November 17th. Then at Brampton Sew n Serge at the end of the month - November 24th. 

For those in the West, I'll be in Winnipeg at Carellen Sewing from November 27th to 29th to show off the DESIGNER EPIC 3. I'll be doing other events in Winnipeg, so call the store.

On that note, I have an early start this morning, and the car is only partly packed (in the garage). I need to get that done, walk the girls (short one), pack a few clothes, and I'm off to meet a bunch of local Husqvarna Viking dealers today!

Have a super day!!!

Ciao!!!

Can too much excitement kill you?

The show MUST go on! For whatever reason, my internet at home isn't happy this morning. At first, I thought it was my computer, but I didn't have much open. But even after restarting the computer, it wouldn't work, so I'm currently using my cell phone as a hotspot, and I'm connected! 

I have two Zoom this morning, so let's hope that everything is back to normal by then, although I can use my phone to hotspot if need be. And I'm happy to report that the presentations are DONE! I could have used an extra hour for one of them, but I'll finish it this afternoon before I send it out to the group. 

Oh yes -- you read that correctly -- some of these presentations take HOURS to put together. And it's incredible what I can find on my computer if I do a search on specific drives and folders. Stuff I wrote and didn't remember! I hope everyone in the classes appreciates all the work. I think they do! I must say that I put WAY more work into the Zoom presentations than I ever did in person. Probably because I don't have direct contact with them, so what's on those slides MUST make sense. 

So yesterday was one of those days when NOTHING got done that was supposed to, other than working on the presentations, which happened late at night and early this morning. Instead, it was a day of SURPRISES, some expected and some not. OK - I guess if I knew it was coming, it's not a surprise! Good news is probably a better way to phrase that. 

M was home for the day and now spending some time with a friend, which is great because this weekend is FILLED to overflowing with stuff to do. 

The first good news is that the small splitter I purchased the day before from my FAVORITE store arrived. Now, I have a couple of days to test out my computer and cameras to make sure it works. I have some very cool presentations to do in the coming weeks, and this will be a vital part of the presentation. So that was great. 

WAIT -- the first good news is that M was home, and we got to visit about her trip and things in general! 

Then, I had to zip down to the car dealership to get the winter tires on my car. I arrived four minutes late at the service bay door, and I waited, and I waited until there was room to bring my car inside. It must have been that everyone had a 10 AM appointment. But finally, at 10:15, I was able to check my car in. 

I had scheduled this tire change and service appointment several weeks ago, which is so not like me, but I knew that I would have some potential snowy drives this month, and it would be best to have those tires. See how sensible I am becoming? 

While there, I decided to check with my salesperson to get a status on the car. Remember, we ordered a new car back on February 19? I haven't called him since because I didn't want to be disappointed with "I'm sorry, but we have no date yet." 

He greeted me as I walked towards his table and said - "your last name is Theriault, right?" I said, "Yes." "Well, he said, "I've been calling you (landline) to tell you that your car is coming in NOVEMBER. 

Oh gosh -- that put me in a tizzy because I was NOT expecting the car until April. Now what? I returned to the service desk to tell them to put the all-season tires in the car and NOT in storage. The car was scheduled to arrive on November 27 or thereabouts. WOW -- that threw me for a loop, and I have things to think about and a car to sell. 

Made it back home, and M and I started to play the EXIT game that I had purchased a couple of weeks ago. We got all the supplies set up according to the instructions. 

Supplies for the EXIT game

Oops, here's more stuff that needed to be laid out. 

More supplies are needed - yes, even those scissors!

There are ten riddles in this one that have to be solved in a specific order. The answer to each riddle is a three-digit code. The games are EXTREMELY well thought out, and we struggled a little on the first clue. OH -- you can download an app with "mood" music. It also sets a timer, which wasn't a good thing for us. 

Getting started!

So, after looking at the first clue of three for the first riddle, we solved it. The second riddle was easy, although it took us a moment to realize how the solutions work. So, at first, it said we were wrong. Then we looked at the clues and realized we were right. At this point, we realized that we were misreading the answer (DUH!!), and we were on to the next clue. 

Solving the next riddle

We solved three of the ten before we ran out of time. I'll send her home with a copy of the fourth clue, and we can work on it over What's App. If you know someone who is into puzzles and games, I HIGHLY recommend these. There are seventeen in the series, ranging from Beginner to Advanced. We are struggling with the beginner, and I think it takes a bit to get your brain wrapped around how these things work. I found that pretty comprehensive list in that link, but you can buy them at Indigo, 401 Games, and other places if you look online. These ones are about $20. 

At some point, I had to retrieve my car, only to be greeted by the salesperson (Cameron), who told me the car is sitting in the storage lot! It arrived YESTERDAY! The car is HERE! OH MY GOSH --- I can't handle this - I need to sell my car, I need insurance, I need EVERYTHING, including a new set of winter tires! So much for being proactive and getting the other ones on the existing car! 

I told him I would call him back on Monday to see how to proceed. I need time to process this!

As if that wasn't enough, M and I took a little drive in DH's car since mine was in the shop. OH MY GOSH -- I'm surprised he isn't dead. The smell of exhaust in the car is OVERWHELMING. He's been hanging onto the car until the new one came in. Then we get rid of his by donating it to the scrap pile - it's ancient and then selling mine and becoming a ONE-car family. 

He needs to get rid of that car sooner rather than later because that is an extreme hazard. We drove with the windows open! 

And this is what we brought back. And that's all you get to see for the moment. 

A car full of fun!

It's in the front hall, and I need time to unpack it. So you can imagine my day when I get this amazing toy, and it's trumped by getting a new car! We had a good laugh over that!

So my car is sitting in the driveway with the all-season tires in the back. Hopefully, we can get rid of it quickly!

All-season tires in the back

If you are wondering what's in the other car (well, now in the front hall), this is a clue. 

Do you know what this is?

And how about these cuties sitting in the front window. We will all miss that little guy when he goes home on Monday! 

Big dog, little dog! 

So, let's get through those Zooms quickly so I can process some of the good news that happened yesterday. Then, two more Zooms tomorrow and loads of sample-making to happen. Even more now! I wish I could get away with fewer hours of sleep --- WAIT -- isn't there a time change tonight? OH -- I need that extra hour! As if it's really an extra hour!

On that note, I'm out of here! I'm so excited!

Have a great day!!!!

Ciao!!!