National Quilting Day

Are you ready for it? Tomorrow is the the BIG day. Yes the third Saturday has been marked as National Quilting Day. And no I am not making this up. It has been a national holiday since 1991.

Sew what are you going to make for National Quilting Day? Organize your stash? Finish an UFO? Start a new project? Make something for yourself? Make a quilt to donate?

I am still unsure of what I am really going to make. I need to make another baby quilt for my client. I need to finish my one UFO this month. My sewing space needs cleaned up and some organizing. BUT I really want to try a new to me applique technique.

Tell me your plans. It looks like you will have to check back Sunday to see what I work on.

Happy St Patrick's Day!!!

In honor of my Irish heritage I am sharring my FAVORITE Irish Blessing.

"May you be in Heaven a half hour before the devil knows your dead."

I really like this one

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudoy proclaiming "WOW! What a ride!"

IF... EDIT

I NEED a new sewing studio. I have to give up my old one so Daphne would have a place to sleep. My current sewing space is just too small for me. I am sharing the living room/home gym/sewing space. It really is too much to fit into one room.

IF I can talk my dad into it. IF I can get Scott home long enough to build it. I would like a small 1000 square feet sewing studio. It will need a full bath, kitchenette, and detached garage (not included in the 1000 square feet.) I want lots of windows, for natural light. Of course laminate flooring, easy to clean. I also need built in shelving, cupboards and counters. I will need a spot for my sewing machine and my serger. I would like 10 foot ceilings with a library ladder on my design wall.

Dad I don't want to look at the packing shed IF you could please plant a flower garden so I have something to look at out the window. And Scott IF you could please order up that computerized Gammil for me, I should have plenty of room.

IF only IF...

***Since my mom and Jennifer are concerned about space for the kids and the nanny, no worries. My darling children aren't allowed into my new studio. When we pull into the detatched garage they will promply walk across the field to visit with their Grandma and Grandpa to spend wonderful quality time.***

How I Do It ALL

Okay I get asked "how do you do it all?" I am going to share a few secrets. I am including a few bonuses too.

I am up at 4:30am, yes it is still dark out. If it is a week day my sitter is at my house by 5:10 am, if it is a weekend me and the girls are in the car by 4:50am. I have my clothes for work ready the night before and their bag packed.

I am home from work between 9 and 10 am, I have the whole day ahead of me. Today I grabbed the slow cooker and started dinner. First is the most important step line the slow cooker with a Reynolds Slow Cooker liner, this will save you scrubbing and time later. Next is the food, HIGHLY complicated recipe!!!

Southwest Pot Roast
4-6 Red Potatoes (as many as you need for the people you are feeding)
1 bag of pre peeled Carrots (I buy the 16oz bag)
1 Chuck Roast (again as much as you need for the people you are feeding)
some flour
1 16oz jar of Salsa (I use Pace medium)

Dump your potatoes and carrot in the slow cooker. Flour your pot roast and plop it on the veggies. Last dump the salsa on top of the meat. Cook on low for 8 hours.

This dinner takes me less than 5 minutes. If I feel like it I might even bust open a roll of Pillsbury biscuits. Home cooking at it's finest.

While I do this I toast up a bagel for Delaney too. Multitasking is the key to my day! I run laundry all day one day a week. Delaney has to help sort her laundry into my laundry. Daphne's gets done separate. Delaney and I load the wash together. I only switch laundry when I get up for a Diet Pepsi or Bathroom break. I have 5 laundry baskets, one for each of us and one for the house. Clean stuff goes into them and I fold one at a time while I am on the phone. Whole basket goes to the room it needs to be put away in.

Another key to my day is I DO NOT WATCH TV! I can't believe how much time that frees up. Yes I have a tv in my sewing space. I use it for dvd's only. I will play Dallas for the noise or a workout dvd when I feel like it.

All of this leaves me tons of time to sew. I keep projects together in bags or boxes. I make sure the fabric, pattern, thread, notions, ect is all their. That way I can grab something and sew. I keep a list of project that need to be done each week. I also keep a list of what I want to get done in the month. If I start a project and have to put it away I put a note in the box with where I left off. I NEVER LEAVE OFF I THE MIDDLE OF A STEP!

I have to stay organized. I have my bag out that I take to the guild meeting. As I finish stuff that has to go to the meeting in the bag it goes. I have 2 large storage boxes in my sewing space too. One is for gifts I make, as I finish a gift it goes into the box with a paper of who it is for. I also mark on my calendar that I have made a gift for that person on the month they are to receive it. Example I have made something for my sister, her birthday is in August, in the empty space on the August page of my calendar I noted that I have made her gift already. That way I know to go look in the box. The second box is for stuff I am putting in the guild's boutique. As I come across fabric, patterns, notions, ect I no longer want I toss them into the box. Then when it is time for the show I just have to price stuff.

While I feed Daphne I will read a pattern. That way I am ahead of the game when I go to sew. I also can pre plan any changes I want to make.

The biggest things for me is having a plan, being organized, and using every minute of my time to the most.