I'm trying for a little bit of everything

School is officially underway, entering into my 2nd week.  And...... yup...... I think the routine is starting to mesh well for all of us.  This picture was the sight of the FIRST day/night of school -- my backorder of Blue-n-Gold yarn came, one day earlier than expected.   I wanted to just dig into the yarn right away, but.... I've accepted the time commitment for AP-Statistics this year.  And I was LOADED already on day #1.

BUT, since then, I have tried to find time to do a little bit of everything.

The typical housework (blah)

The afterschool homework session -- 'course, it helps that I stay at school until 5:30 every night, waiting for Cassie to finish vball practice.  I get LOTS done during that time.  However, I think that will also start to change tomorrow, now that things are starting to settle in a bit more..... I be thinking that I'll pack some running clothes in order to hit the pavement after my scheduled school hours end.  I'm going onto day #10 WITHOUT running!  Bad me. Bad me.

This past weekend, I kinda sat back and enjoyed some time downstairs on Saturday!  It had been SO long!  

Lazy Sunday was scattered in pieces all around my quilting area.... so while my embroidery machine was stitching away, I finished up the purple diagonals, and am now ready to hit the final step of the mystery :)

And on the embroidery machine...

I stitched up a newly free-download onto a kitchen towel.

Some of the girls' cinch bags were given some personalization...

... and then I played with some batting scraps (doubled-up) to see how it would work as the backing/filling for some embroidered patches/fridge-magnets.   The "Lakers" symbol you see is my school's mascot.  Kinda fun! :)

The putzing actually took up most of the afternoon; I can't believe how fast the time flew.

And then Sunday....... 8AM until 5PM....... AP-Statistics prepping and planning at the kitchen table.  LOL.  It's all good.  Really.  It WILL get easier, but right now....it's a mess!  I have been using the 1st edition of "The Practice of Statistics" for two years, however I was ready to commit to an upgrade this year.  I received a student copy of the 3rd edition, but we elected to actually go for the big move, and adopt the 4th edition.  SO....here's my situation....

The 4th edition is on backorder until the end of September.  My decision to adopt the 4th edition happened the week before school started.  There was NO WAY the ball was going to get rolling fast enough for the start of school.  SO.......  I've been using some page copies from the student's 3rd edition with some of the teacher materials out of the 4th edition (my sales rep gave me access to some online 4th edition materials.)   It's kinda a headache!  There were just enough changes in the 1st chapter between the 3rd and 4th editions that it took the whole 9 hours yesterday JUST to get some alignment in place for lessons this week... all in order to make the transition to the 4th edition smoother ONCE we get the books OR access to the eBook component we also ordered.

So....... LOL.... this morning, after sending an email to the sales rep, wondering when/if we could at least get our eBook access codes..... I received an email in response!  We have eBook access to the 4th edition officially starting tomorrow at 3AM.   {{Um, yah.  I ain't about to set my alarm for 3AM just to write some new lessons for the week!  LOL}}

Good golly!  After spending 9 hours yesterday making handouts and powerpoints for this weeks' lessons.....aligning the 3rd student edition to the 4th edition teacher materials........ I'm STICKING to that plan through Friday.! :}  

I AM looking forward to next weekend's shorter planning session :)  Maybe only 6 hours this time :)

Besides-----my Saturday will need to be devoted to a MASSIVE tomato harvest!  Spaghetti sauce, whole canned tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato juice, vegetable juice, pizza sauce, salsa.....

Happy Monday everyone :)

Sewing on a school night!

I haven't been down in the sewing room for over a week---wowsers!  But today after school, I was able to completely catch up with my grading... and the girls rode the bus home... so all the Homework and chores and dinner were completed at a decent time.  SO..... I worked on some feedsack towels I bought last week.  Our set is getting quite tattered;  I suppose after 14 years of marriage and use, it's time to replace them!

I'm not much of a "cow" person---or any kind of theme, for that matter.  But these guys were cute....and FREE.

All the while EM was working away, I tinkered around with some the Hawaii Sunset units to piece together the first block.  

But now that EM is finished.....it's time to get to bed.  I started down here at 8:00 with intentions of ONLY putting in one hour's worth of sewing.

Psht!

:D

Happy Almost-Friday.

Rainbow Orange; and some towel embroidery

NO AGENDA TODAY!  Gotta love days like that, huh?  I grabbed the orange string bag to make up the September Rainbow Scrap string block.  I have so few orange scraps (yay!), therefore there will be no September Jack-in-the-Box blocks.  

And of COURSE I found time to play with EM.  After watching some YouTube videos over the past week, I was confident I could tackle embroidering a towel.  I grabbed one of our hand wash towels and tested it out.  Easy Peasy baby!

So then......BRING on a real project!  Cassie chose the lettering on her LAKERS school-spirit monogramed towel.

The name was just a tad bit too high for my liking, but other than that....it turned out just fine.

About 30 minutes ago, I came upstairs to prep the final stage of some BBQ Ribs (back and country-style).  T-minus 45 minutes and counting until we can dig into these delicious babies.

Alrighty...I have yet to spend some time with my school work.  I think I will do the bare minimum (5 minutes per class?) to at least have something ready to go for tomorrow.  :D  Then I'll worry about the rest of the week tomorrow.

The 29.6 degree morning temperature didn't deter me from capturing the sunrise in a photo.  This quote is on the wall of our lady's staff bathroom;  it seemed perfect to add it to the photo.

I hope your Sunday was glorious! 

Orca Bay and another boo-boo'd project

Orca Bay was getting loaded on the quilting frame yesterday, but not much quilting was accomplished.  

I played some more with EM.  And this project WOULD be perfect, except I spelled the name wrong.  *hitting forehead*  And I have worked with this lady for 13 years!!!!  Oh well; I'll simply be keeping this as an example to keep in my portfolio.

I'm working on some more flying geese between steps of embroidery.  But first....some lunch!

Play time :D

Weeeeeeeeee!

Definitely enjoying enjoying enjoying my Brother PE770 right now!

I have another package of goodies coming with anticipated delivery on Tuesday.  What's in there?  In addition to some stabilizer, more bobbins, more bobbin thread and a smaller 4x4 hoop-----my Embroidery thread is in that order!!!  **sigh**

BUT, just cuz I don't have any "embroidery" thread, I wasn't going to be stopped from trying out other threads.

Getting everything set up was actually quite easy.  Attaching the hoop to the machine took a few attempts (just like everyone said it would), but now.... got it down!

First project:  A simple label.  I had this shiny purple thread that fits the theme nicely.  All the labels have been removed from the thread, so I'm not sure the details of it.  I'm GUESSING it's a Coats-n-Clark thread.  The machine handled it perfectly fine.  {{Hmm....I'm not a person who names her machines, but.... EM is easier to type than "the embroidery machine."  So, EM she is!}}

And then...a former classmate commented on my FB post about a monogram.  So....I played some more with my monogram.  Trial-n-error will fill my walls :)  The inner frame was sized too small, but the other was great.  And...I could see changing the 'E' to the lighter purple thread.   Threads used here: Connecting Thread's "Essential threads."  It is heavier than embroidery thread....and turned out great as well!

SO!!!!..... notice what is under my Bernie needle right now???  I figured I might as well get it going since the label has been made :)

And EM has moved in to the other side of my work area.  

I love today :)  And you?

A crazy 24

OH BOY!  Yup...it arrived a bit after 5:00 last night

BUT, I was bound and determined to be disciplined!

First....I needed to pick up Cass from Cross Country

Then...needed to make dinner.

Then.... I supervised Homework.....

Then.... I washed up dishes AND folded a load of laundry....

AND THEN!  THEN, I was ready to play.....

But... HALT those plans!!!!

Cassie came in from feeding Shadow.....SOBBBBBING!  I'm talking hyperventilating-sobbing!!!!!!!

My first thought.....'she got stung by a bee.'  

Me:  "Cass???  What is wrong?"

Cass:......Sob...Sob....Sob......"Shadow is gone!!!!!"

Oh....man!  Talking about that heart-sinking feeling!  

I worked on calming her down......made some phone calls around to neighbors.....jumped on Facebook to get the word out..... the whole routine.

By the time I finished all of that....

I simply was too pooped!  The wind was out of my sails :(

Therefore, I simply read the manual last night.

Fast forward to this morning, 8:25AM.  My 1st period class gets interrupted by a phone call, and we did what we normally do when the phone rings during class:  We try to figure out who the phone call was for and for what reason :)

GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!!  The wife of a coworker works with a lady who is the mom of a friend of a neighbor who lives a couple of miles from me.  {{Did you follow that one?}}  Anyway......she was calling to say that Shadow had been found!    I was so happy to tell Cassie in passing her to lunch that he had been found :)

So afterschool, I had a meeting...followed by running to pick up the girls....followed by tracking Shadow down from one neighbor's house to another (because he 'ran' off again from the one neighbor).  And THEN....once I got everyone home, it was time for me to chow-down a quick meal before heading BACK to school to work the volleyball game.

Therefore......Nope.   No embroidery tonight either.  

And really.....it's okay!  Afterall.....

"Out for Delivery"

Here is the UPS Tracking Package update:

I am SO glad I had to work today..... I would have been SO IMPATIENT waiting all day long for that lil' Brown Guy to deliver this package.

Just arrived home from school;  thinking of dinner plans....will have to head back in to school to pick up Cassie.... and then back home.... to wait, wait, wait for the Brown UPS truck!

{{Our delivery guy usually hits our area between 5:00-7:00 PM}}
I'm glad I have things to do to keep myself busy for the next couple of hours.....

waiting...
waiting...
waiting....

Stay tuned!

Shipped goodies

My Hancock Fabrics order arrived today!!!  So much purdy stuff!  Can you believe that this is my first fabric purchase of the WHOLE YEAR?!?!??!?  {{I'm not counting the few yards I needed to purchase for the Diamond Fields border this summer)  I mean... this is my first actual "no-real-purpose-to-buy----just-want-to-buy-cuz-it's-purdy" purchase!  Definitely a record!!!  Mind you, those pink and green fabrics will be used in the Hawaii Sunset blocks.

And look what else was confirmed via email today!!!!!!

Wooo-hooooo!  I am keeping Wednesday night WIDE OPEN!

Also, after my whole "I didn't do any schoolwork all weekend" goal comment last night......
... my day today....was Just Fine.  AND my prep time allowed for me to get the next THREE days scheduled in.  So... I'm doing well on my "leave school-at-school" goal. :)

More researching and some tomatoes

Slept in until a bit after 7:30 this morning.  Precious Caitlyn was up at 7:30, visited the bathroom, and then turned into our room (which is right next to the bathroom).  She whispered..."Dad, I want to make coffee for you guys but don't know exactly how to."

LOL... what a gem.

So, we gots the coffee a'brewin' and read over blogs/facebook/discussion boards in a relaxed fashion.

And here is a comment that made me really contemplate if the Brother PE770 Embroidery machine really is the best deal for me....

Angela (Soscrappy) writes:

Don't know about the embroidery machine, the bernina has an extension, though having a backup machine seems like a good idea as much as you sew. Seeing Kathy without hers made me sad:(

 Ahhhh!!!!  MAYBE I should be looking for a sewing/embroidery unit and not JUST an embroidery machine!  Afterall, YES, when my Bernina was out for a few weeks last summer, I was a bit unnerved;  just like Kathy has been.  {{Her machine is back now!!!}} :)

I didn't have time to do any research because we were off to the grocery store, followed by a house-cleaning session, followed by lunch.  

Followed by more tomato picking.  

What BEAUTIFUL babies out there on the "younger" plants now!  I am almost done with canning;  however I didn't do any preserving this weekend.  Next weekend, I'll do the last few quarts of whole canned tomatoes.  I am picking now for friends who haven't had much luck with theirs this year.

My amazing helper Cassie spent about 30 minutes with me going through the tomato patch.  And for dinner, we cut in to a few of those red delicious beauties for tacos.

Anyway---back to the embroidery machine.

I have spent hours this afternoon watching Youtube videos:  Brother machines, Babylock machines, embroidery 101 how-tos...... you name it.  What fun!  I learned a LOT.  I never realized you should have a TOP stabilizer when embroidery certain projects/fabrics!  

In the end----I have 100% decided on the Brother PE770.  Now to just find the best "deal" around the web.  :0)

Stay tuned!  I hope to hit a BUY button by the end of my evening computer session.  

Oh; FYI.  I didn't do ANY schoolwork :\  But that's okay.  I should be fine for tomorrow...and then will spend tomorrow's prep to get ready for the next day...and so on and so on.  I REALLY want to try to keep school at school this year.  How's THAT for a professional goal??? 

My Saturday sewing after the 1st week of school

I enjoyed my morning hours today!!!  My cutting table and iron board were loaded with scattered scraps for the Hawaii Sunset (or is it Hawaiian?) units I've been working on these past couple of weeks.  The first couple of hours were cutting and organizing those scraps into some units for the blocks.  All of the 4-patches are completed.  Another forty-some flying geese units were pieced, and all 25 of the 'block borders' were cut and basted until they'll be needed.  I was HOPING my Hancock Fabrics order would come in the mail today, but....it didn't.  So, I'm at a standstill until that happens;  I need more pink and green fabs.

So I pulled out my 36-patch top...and decided it was big enough.  No more border were needed.

Therefore, a backing was pieced;  batting was cut... and all were added to my 'must-quilt' pile.

Then...out came Orca Bay.  THIS one, however, has another border coming;  I don't want this to simply be finished off with all those seams along the outside.

I had a perfect green waiting on my shelf for the border.  It was cut and pieced..... and then lunch time hit.  {{.....and this is STILL where it remains.....}}

Once lunch was complete, I relaxed with the laptop....and got side-tracked for much of the afternoon.

Last night, I'm not really sure how this conversation came to be, but Paul asked me, "When are you getting your monogramming machine?" (aka: embroidery machine).

Recall July 19th, 2012 when I talked about avoiding the temptation of purchasing an embroidery machine.  WOW!  Almost two months ago already!  I thought for sure it was the beginning of August when I did that research.

Anyway...last night's conversation went something like this:

Me:  You mean the embroidery machine?

Paul:  Whatever.

Me:  I didn't order one.

Paul:  Why not?

Me:  You mean it's okay if I do?

Paul:  Sure.  That way we can label all the towels and the girls will stop taking new ones out every time they need one.

Heeding the advice of others from that July embroidery post, I spend the day researching machines that allow for a 5"x7" hoop.  

After a couple of hours of review and searching for the best price....

I THINK I've come up with the Brother PE-770 Embroidery machine deal from Allbrands.com.

Then again, this deal from Amazon also seems okay; lots of thread and designs offered "free"....but the reviews are stating that all of those "free" designs don't work on the Brother machine. (??)

I have pushed any buy buttons yet.... so.... does anyone have any final words of wisdom (or concern) to share?

Happy Saturday!

{{The PACKERS play tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!}}

Holding myself back!!!!

Surfing the net in the morning can sometimes be dangerous!

I've been wanting an embroidery machine for quite some time now, specially after seeing the beautiful labels that Candace creates for her quilts.

As a thank you for making the Bear Paw, my parents gifted me with a gift certificate to Hancock Fabrics;  so I browsed the website the morning.  BUT, I really don't need any fabric; I have enough projects going right now with the fabric I have.  Mind you, I did think about purchasing some yardages for future backings, but......

I followed the Sewing Machine link at the top of the page and browsed around.  There were a couple embroidery machines shown;  as you can imagine, one was a bit pricey.  But then this one caught my eye.

Brother Embroidery Machine

A google search came next to research the ins-n-outs.  This HSN page offers a video-spot.... and boy!  Those HSN'ers know how to put on the sales pitch!!   HSN Page with video

I'm SO tempted!